Gene D. Cohen, a founder of the field of geriatric psychiatry, related a story about his in-laws from his book “The Mature Mind: The Positive Power of the Aging Brain.” The couple, in their 70s, arrived in Washington for a visit during a snowstorm and found themselves stranded by the train station. When they saw a pizzeria across the street, his father-in-law had an idea. The couple went inside, ordered a pizza to be delivered to their daughter’s house, and then asked if they could ride along.

As Cohen explained, one of the brain’s most powerful tools is its ability to quickly scan a vast storehouse of templates for relevant information and past experience to come up with a novel solution to a problem. In this context, the mature brain is especially well equipped, which is probably why we still associate wisdom with age.

1957 in Barrie Ontario...driving along a slippery highway to get home from a shopping trip ; a sudden drop in temperature ( at that time to -40ºf) the car suddenly swerved and we almost hit a Stobey Pole...Whew! Husband and I got out to see if we could dig ourselves out and continue on our way.....but the extreme low temp was too much for the fuel line. We pushed, we heaved we nearly broke our backs when suddenly a nice kind trucky came to our aid. He suggested we needed to get something like chains or sacks under the wheels so they would grip.....and of course we had none in our boot. Husband came up with the solution and said " Take off your coat Maggs"? It was then I knew I needed a divorce! But I have admit the fact that he wasn't even senior at the time! I should have married an older man.